Friends of Perseus Jackson
by PercyJacksonAustyle
Summary: So Percy's day started off smooth and great. Then though a great deal of coincidences he becomes unable to help his friends and has to fight through them on a quest to save the one that he cares for most...Annabeth. (This is Chapters 1-6 and i think i'll write about one a day!) (Please R&R!)
1. A day not to forget

Chapter one: A day not to forget!

Percy PoV

I walked the woods with Annabeth having a great time all together. We've had picnics, gone to all cabins for inspection, and said hi to our fellow cabin leaders. Now all we want to do is relax. I lead her to a spot by Zeus's fist and we sit down and bask in the warm, hot, sun.

Then she says "Wow Percy this has been a wonderful day…"

While looking at me with those same storm gray eyes. And I take her hand and pull her closer to me, just so I can get a better look at her. Her blond hair reflects the sun like gold and I still stare into those beautiful stormy eyes of hers.

"Who says it has to end…" I say and we kiss passionately, moving our bodies to face each other and I hug her contently. Nothing could possibly go wrong a day as great as this could it I think to myself?

Then we get up and walk back to my home Cabin 3 and we hang in each other's embrace for a long time before we finally let go. Then all of the sudden Thalia Grace our friend runs out of the tree's with a pack of hellhounds chasing after her as if she were some sort of ball bounding in front of them.

"Of course I couldn't get one day could I?" I say sarcastically.

"I'll handle it you go back to your cabin ok." I tell her and I kiss Annabeth once more and rush after Thalia trying to get the attention of the hellhounds.

Annabeth PoV

I had the most beautiful day with Percy I thought to myself as I walked back to the Athena Cabin. I knew Percy could handle himself against some measly hellhounds so I wasn't too worried. But as I walked toward my cabin Nico popped out of the shadow of it sweating like he'd run a marathon. And he was slashing his Stygian Iron sword at pure air. I jumped back and knocked it out of his hands with my dagger but not before he got out.

"Annabeth…" He barely got to say before he collapsed into the dirt right in front of me.

"Nico!?" What was going on today I thought as I reached down and hauled him up. I mean hellhounds are one thing but Nico doesn't show up unless something dire is going on. And why was he trying to turn me into sliced Annabeth just now? I rushed to the Apollo cabin and dropped off their latest patient and I told the cabin leader Will Solstice…

"Watch him carefully I want to know what he says when he wakes up got it?"

"You got it Annabeth…" He said hurriedly as I could tell he was busy with other things and I'd just dropped off his latest assignment and went off to look after Nico where I dropped him. Nico was going to need a very good explanation when he woke up just to make sure I didn't smack his head off his tiny shoulders.

I finally got to my cabin when I realized that if Thalia was being chased by hellhounds then Nico showed up could he possibly have summoned the hellhounds? He is a son of Hades after all but I couldn't think of a reason why he would do it so I just dropped it. I'd find out soon enough as it is. So I just grabbed my things from the Athena cabin and ran to grab my seat at the dining hall.

Thalia PoV

Well I've really got myself into a bind today I thought running as fast as I could away from the hellhounds. Why does Artemis always drop off her hunters at Camp-Half Blood at the worst times, like this for instance? She just up and leaves the tents and tells us were on our own for a while. What kind of explanation is that?

I was just scouting the woods for prey when all of the sudden a pack of hellhounds bursts out of the shadows nipping at my heels. I broke out of the woods to find Percy and Annabeth in a tight embraced. I made a mental note to tease Percy later just for that. He muttered something to her and came bounding after me like an idiot, I guess trying to get the hellhounds attention.

"I think I finally get that nickname Annabeth gave you Seaweed brain!" I yelled at him and he gave me a dirty look.

"Hey I'm not the one being chased by a pack of Hellhounds am I?" He replied smugly as he pulled up next to me and matched my pace.

"Team work before I pound you into next week?" I said and he smiled. Oh sometimes I wish I wasn't a hunter of Artemis and he wasn't Annabeth's boy friend, that boy can make a girls heart do summersaults. I ran for a small lake near the dock knowing Percy could be of at least some help to me. He raised his hands and dowsed all the hellhounds with a tidal wave the size of a full Cabin.

I felt a tug in my gut and threw a sizable lightning strike down and on top of the pack. They turned to dust immediately and now covered the dock with shiny soot.

We both stopped and bent over clearly exhausted.

"Tired…already…Seaweed brain?" I said and laughed when he fell over and into the lake. He bobbed up and shot me that same look.

"I think you look even more wiped out Miss Grace." He said sarcastically and I returned that look to him. He held up his hands seeing he crossed a line.

"Ok I'm-"He didn't get to finish before I jumped onto his head. I didn't care because he could breathe underwater and I was getting a pretty good view of the dining hall from up here.

"Crud see, you made us late for dinner Seaweed brain." And I jumped to shore. His head bobbed up again and he said.

"We'll if someone wasn't getting chased by a pack of hellhounds we could have made it before they even started."

And he shot out of the water completely dry, but he wiggled a bit and water may as well have been dumped on my head with a bucket.

I threw up my hands one more time for a small bolt of lightning to come down and strike him on his stupid head, not enough to hurt too much but to make sure my point was across. He opened his mouth to speak and a puff of smoke came out. I laughed until my sides hurt.

"Shutting up…" he said and he fell over blacking out.

I toke him to the Apollo cabin and threw him on a bed and Will came over with a board in his hands.

"Why do you have to do this every time you come here?" He muttered.

"Well Will if you want some to be my guess." I said and he smiled at me.

I ran to the dining hall and got their just in time as my name was called apparently Artemis actually told them we were coming.

I sat with Annabeth at the Athena table since hunters can sit wherever they want, they don't have a table for Artemis and they said it would "Waste space" In the dining hall. Just as they called Percy's name I yelled.

"He's busy sleeping a rather bad lightning strike off his head!" and everyone in the hall laughed, this was going to go over so well with Percy when he woke up.

Annabeth just gave me a look and whispered.

"What did you do this time?"

"Oh nothing much just having some fun with him enjoy yourself Annabeth it's not going to kill you to be apart from him for one dinner is it?"

And she just laughed.

After everyone was done Chiron said it was time for Capture the Flag. We all got into our separate teams and I chose Annabeth's. But as soon as we were done picking teams Chiron said we would need a new blue team leader with Percy indisposed.

All of the sudden Nico De Angelo just popped up from behind the ranks and said.

"I'd be happy to oblige…"

(End of Chapter 1)


	2. A strategist without a strategy

Chapter 2: A strategist without a strategy

Annabeth PoV

Nico stepped forward from among the ranks of the blue team and raised his hand, too much surprise from the team and the camp altogether. He toke the helmet meant for the leader of each team from Chiron. Each helmet indicated which team you were on, mine was red, Nico's blue.

He yelled for his team to fall in and they all stood at attention, probably scared out of their minds, judging from the looks on their faces. But Nico didn't seem to notice. Chiron called for a hand shake between each team leader to officially start Capture the flag.

I was the red team leader but someone must have got impatient and pushed me ahead of the group, but I do have to admit I was a little freighted. As I walked toward Nico he gripped my hand like a vice, it was as cold as ice. He smiled but with his face behind it, it looked more like a scowl. He whispered something to me that made my blood curl.

"_You should be…"_

I returned that smile but my mind was racing. How did he know what I was thinking, and how was it going to affect the games? Was it some sort of trick or did he develop a new power or something? It doesn't matter I told myself the outcome will be the same and speaking of Will. I glowered at Will Solstice and he looked down at the ground. He ran towards the front of the ranks and I noticed for the first time his face in the dark. He had a fresh black eye.

"How did you get that?" I wondered.

He shot Nico a look and then returned his gaze to the ground.

"After you left I tried to feed Nico some ambrosia, but right after it went into his mouth he sucker punched me and toke off without a word."

"Well it seems that you were caught off guard Will." I said dryly.

"I had no idea it was coming Annabeth, and it shouldn't have come in the first place." He said turning bright red at my comment.

"What do you mean?" I was suddenly very curious.

"I mean what I said, he shouldn't have been able to lift a finger, nearly all the bones in his body were broken when you brought him in I'm awestruck that he can even stand right now." He replied.

I thought it over and this ended up not surprising me though. If Nico has the ability to summon live skeletons at will, who's to say he can't fix his own if it's in disrepair. But what I don't know is how he ended up like that in the first place and how was he able to mend so quickly even the ambrosia combined with Nico's supposed new power he shouldn't have been able to heal that fast.

"Will?" I questioned.

"Ya?" he answered back awaiting my question.

"You said he punched you right after I left right?" I tried to ask.

"Well not right after Thaila did drop off Percy but then I went back to check on Nico! Then Wham!I'm out cold I barely made it here for capture the flag!" he said confirming my suspicions.

It just doesn't add up. I take one last look at Nico before we scatter thought the forest. He catches my gaze and mouths.

"Watch your back; you'll need eyes in the back of your head."

Thaila PoV

I'm standing right next to Annabeth and she's shivering as if it was snowing outside. But it's the middle of summer, not cold at all. I snap my fingers in front of her face to get her attention, because calling her name doesn't seem to work and the other campers are starting to worry.

"Annabeth you in their?" I ask to check if she's on top of everything.

"What…Oh ya I'm fine just…Strategizing." She says but it sounds like she's unsure.

We walk for a while to our flag point and Annabeth elects to stay behind and guard the flag. It's so weird hunters aren't usually here for capture the flag but every time I've been here Annabeth has lead the assault, but then again she did have Percy with her.

I volunteer to stay with her the other campers didn't like it but then I pointed out.

"Having your two strongest people to guard the flag will give you time to reach Thiers end of discussion." And with that they were on the move.

After they've left for a while I finally speak up.

"Annabeth what's wrong it's like all the fires gone out of you and I don't like it?"

"Leave me alone Thaila…" She says and I see her eyes for the first time since the campers left, their full of fear.

"Tell me now I have a right to know…I am your friend after all aren't I?" I say to her then look at her for a while until she decided to respond.

"You're right it's just… Nico's been acting really strange lately and I can't figure it out… I hate the feeling."

"What do you mean strange he seemed fine to me he even volunteered for Percy's place." I questioned I really didn't know what she was talking about.

"It's just he showed up at camp today of all days, first there were the hellhounds you and Percy had to fight off, then there's Nico showing up out of the blue, well more like the shadows." She laughed.

"Doesn't seem like such a big deal to me, just a coincidence." I say to her.

"Thaila in all your life name all the coincidences you've encountered." She said.

It takes me a moment to respond. "None…" I realized.

"Exactly and Nico is a son of Hades, it would be no small feat for him to summon a pack of hellhounds."

"That's true but it doesn't prove anything." I inquire.

"Still it is suspicious and he's been acting…strange even for Nico." She says.

"_Strange hum…? Wow Annabeth I'm really hurt you feel that way…"_ says a voice not belonging to anyone in the darkness. Then he materializes out of nowhere behind us, on top of the flag. Nico.

"Remember Annabeth I told you you'd need eyes in the back of your head…" He says with an evil laugh that's so blood curtailing I take a step back, then I realize what I've done and I feel ashamed. I step back into position.

"Oh please daughter of Zeus feel free to flee I have no business with you." He takes a step towards us and I pull out my bow, Annabeth her knife.

"Suit yourself then." He shrugged and turned his head to Annabeth.

"You remember my sister Bianca right daughter of Athena?" He says genuinely curious.

"Oh course." She replied. Even I'd remember what happened to her from Percy and Annabeth's telling me about it. She was killed by a giant automaton and ever since Nico's had a grudge against Percy because he promised not to let her die. He failed.

"Ah good…" He said with a reddish/blackish glow in his dark, unfeeling eyes.

"Then it will be so much more satisfying to kill you." And with that shadows protrude from the darkness and start to come after us.

(End of chapter 2)


	3. A & N

**A/N**

**Holding review battle to see what to do for chapter 3. **

**Suggested characters will be placed into the story on 12/25/13 or Christmas!**

**Suggested characters are… (Drum role)**

**Connor Stoll and or Travis Stoll (You chose!) (0)**

**Clarisse La Rue(0)**

**And!**

**Charles Beckendorf!(0) **

**(Votes will be placed next to characters' names on 12/24/13 at about say… 12:00 PM (Afternoon).)**

**Vote guys come on we need just one for one character lol just review it a little and pick at random i will take your vote seriously.**

**Well since no one voted i had to improvise a little so dont be mad at my character chose fellows. Please enjoy the rest story. (And vote next time!)**


	4. Nico's Rage

Chapter 3: Nico's Rage

Nico PoV

I watched them squirm around in my shadowy grip trying to escape. It was so…satisfying… to see them in my unbreakable grasp.

"Prepare to die Daughter of Athena…" I said to Annabeth then turned my head to Thaila.

"I'll get to your brat later Zeus." Thunder rumbled in the distance but it didn't matter if Zeus showed himself right now. Nothing could stop my strike, already in motion.

"Nico stop…" And my shadow was stopped even though I didn't tell it to. Thaila had single handedly stopped my shadow with her palms. But I knew she couldn't keep it up for long, she already seemed drained and she hadn't held my shadow for more than five seconds.

"I wonder Daughter of Zeus…how many of my strikes can you possibly hold off until you collapse… lets test it shall we?" and I put more power behind my shadow. But it didn't budge; she maintained her stance and was even…impossible she was pushing my shadow back.

"That…that's not possible." I gasp, but then composed myself, and then I throw my attention away from Annabeth. Letting that shadow as well power my force of shadows pushing Thaila.

"Well…It seems, a daughter of Zeus, can hold her own in a fight against Hades…" I say with a smile.

"The one who wanted to flee from the mere sound of my laughter..." I say my head held high, still maintaining the smile.

"You're no daughter of Zeus, Thaila Grace, you're a failure…" My words seemed to echo across the woods. Bouncing off everything in their path, but their one true target, Thaila, had been reached. She crumbled to the ground on her knees, my shadows free once more. I walked up to Thaila, my sword to her throat and I said to her, not above a whisper.

"Prepare to die…" And just as my shadow was about to connect the blow, Annabeth out of nowhere jumped in front of it and toke the full blow to her heart.

I'd had to retrieve my sword from where I collapsed, but that was no small feat. I found it right where Annabeth had thrown it, dislodging it from my hands. And I was shocked but only for a second to see Annabeth take my blow. But I immediately recovered and threw her out of my way.

Thaila PoV

I stared at Annabeth. A smile on her face hanging over me. Then she went limp. I went into a fit of rage, throwing all my hatred at Nico, the one who had done this to my friend. But he was as shocked as I was. He grabbed her limp body and threw her into a tree, her face in the dirt, with his disgusting shadows. I stood, my fist shaking with rage. Thunder rumbled like I'd never made it before. Screaming into the skies lighting up the night.

"Oh big bad Thaila's going to call down some lightning, I'm so scared." Nico said, but he instinctively held his shadows on the defensive.

"You're going to pay for what you did to Annabeth Nico." I said but I could hardly get the words out, I was so enraged at the sight of him, I wanted to blast him off the face of the earth.

"What I did to Annabeth!" He yelled at me and this brought me back to my senses, the thunder died down a bit.

"She killed Bianca, along with that runt of a Demigod Percy Jackson!" He screamed, and he seemed as mad as I was now and still held his sword to me throat.

"They have to pay Thaila, not me, Percy swore he wouldn't let her die and he lied." His shadow came in for a strike but I deflected it just in time with my bow, but I couldn't keep it up for much longer. He dug his sword even closer to my throat but since he was using so many shadows I wasn't too worried that he'd try and finish me off that way.

"He lied and so did everyone on that stupid quest to save that maiden goddess Artemis! They promised to keep her safe!" His eyes glowing ever redder with hate, looking at me with his those eyes, every intention of killing me right there. Another strike deflected.

"They are going to pay Thaila…" And I could see the smallest, but their none the less, a tear in his eye.

"They're going to pay Thaila… with the same thing they toke from Bianca… their lives…" He says so slowly I almost didn't catch it.

"It wasn't their fault Nico…" I start to say. But he screamed at me.

"YES IT WAS!" And with that his last shadow hit me square in the chest, a blow that I couldn't deflect and wouldn't kill me but hurt a lot. I was on the ground gasping for breath. He regained control over himself and grabbed Annabeth with his shadows, encasing her until she was no longer visible. Then he turned away from me. Without even turning his head back to look at me he said.

"Tell Percy…If he wants his friend back…" He indicated Annabeth in what I assume was his slippery mess of shadows counseling her.

"Then he should come at me with all he's got…Because I won't hold back as I did for you Thaila, Percy will feel my full wrath and there's nothing you or anyone else can do to stop it."

And with that he shadow traveled away. Just as I was blacking out I heard the horn blow. The games were over; my teammates huddled over me with the flag in hand. The last thing I saw was the Athena Owl on the flag. We had won. But at what cost, at what cost had we won capture the flag, but lost my best friend.

Connor Stoll PoV

I rushed up with the flag in hand running as fast as I could. I finally got Travis to do something other than sit on his lazy butt during the games for once, and he did it pretty good. Clarisse was guarding their flag and probably didn't like the berries we found in the forest all over her face though.

He snuck up behind her and smudged them all over her eyes till she couldn't see, it was priceless. I just had time to grab the flag when more of her team mates show up and I take off running.

All we could hear as we were running away were curses that would get you detention a million times over if a regular teacher heard them. But we were running for the base point when the rest of the team was huddled around something. I was the first to speak up.

"Hey, where's the love I got the flag right here?" But Travis told me to be quiet he was in front of me and looking at what everyone else was. I wondered what could be more important than a good win in capture the flag, to drive everyone's attention away.

Then I see it, Thaila on a stretcher being husked out of our base point, unconscious. I was stunned, she looked really hurt, but I couldn't think of a person here who would do that to her. And who would be strong enough to hurt a daughter of Zeus no less I thought.

Everyone was taken to the amphitheater for an announcement from Chiron, who looked worse for wear, seeing Thaila like that. Then he called roll for the meeting to officially start. Everyone answered quickly so we could sort out the problem, but when Chiron called Nico's name, there was no reply.

Everyone was in an uproar and Chiron had to stamp his hooves 3 times to get people to calm down so he could finish. They had all been so quick to blame Nico that the next bit of news had the opposite effect. The last name on the list turned everyone silent. Annabeth Chase was nowhere to be found.

"I know we are all concerned with Mrs. Chase and Miss. Graces circumstances, but we can only speculate as to what happened right now, and must not step to any rash conclusions." Chiron said to calm everyone down, because they had gone into a frenzy calling for blood.

"Someone should go to get her back!" Someone yelled. People were screaming for a quest, trying to convince Chiron there was no other way. And he nodded his head in agreement.

"I volunteer for the quest Chiron…" It was Thaila. She was walking slowly and was holding her stomach with her hand. She finally got to the stage and walked to Chiron and said it again.

"I volunteer." There were hushed murmurs of agreement from the crowd, after all she was Annabeth's closes friend. Well after Percy, but really close. I though she should go to, other than her minimal injuries, which I had misjudged, there was no other reason she shouldn't.

"You can't go Thaila." He said and she looked shocked. I guess she thought she had it right away, a right to go on the quest immediately. He cared so much for her he tried to keep her here to put her out of harm's way. But Thaila wouldn't stand for it.

"I have to Chiron, Annabeth would do the same for me, and Percy can't go, he's still unconscious." She said and she made a good point, not much of us can hold our own as well as Thaila or Percy can. Chiron just gave her a look, probably afraid to lose her too.

"Alright you may lead, but you must pick two companions for the quest, just like any other you can't go alone." He said and left the stage, giving it to her, so we could hear her speak. He walked back to the big house and disappeared.

She stayed silent for a long time then she said something that confirmed the suspicions of the campers before she had even gotten on stage.

"Nico De Angelo toke Annabeth from us…" She says starting to tear up. This again sent people into mass hysteria. But she screamed control back from the crowd. But she calmed herself down and said.

"I can't pick a single one of you she hasn't helped in some way and I can't just pick two individuals for the quest either…" Thaila continued.

She wanted volunteers…that's what she was saying. She wanted people who wanted to help Annabeth because they wanted to, not because she had to pick and chose.

Grover, sitting over with the other satyrs, immediately put his hand in the air.

"No Grover, I need you to tell Percy when he wakes up what happened, and make sure he doesn't go and do anything stupid, I'm sorry Grover." And he sat back down looking broken. After all he's known Percy longer than anyone else has.

I thought of Annabeth and what she must be going though right now and it sickened me that no one would even offer to help her other than Grover. She was taken from us, and I might be a demigod of thief's but even the Herms cabin could never take something that special to someone. Someone needed to do something.

I reluctantly stood up from my seat, and I swear a giant gasp went up though the crowd of campers, but no one was more surprised then my own brother Travis, who just looked at me, stricken with pain.

"I volunteer…, Annabeth has helped the Herms cabin more then we could ourselves…after…"

But everyone knew what I was talking about. Luke Castellan. He was from the Herms cabin and after the titan war Annabeth helped the Herms cabin become part of the camp again because most people just shunned us, and didn't hear a word we had to say. Until Annabeth spoke up for us.

"Alright Conner I trust you, and I'm sure Annabeth does to…" said Thaila and I slumped back in my seat. The excitement had gone out of me. But it wasn't a second later that another gasp went thought the crowd as the next person's hand went up.

It was Malcolm from the Athena cabin.

(End of chapter 3)


	5. Stoll vs Malcolm

Chapter 4: Stoll vs. Malcolm

Thaila PoV

Everyone had their eyes on Malcolm, as he stood up from the crowd. I was as surprised as anyone else, but it did sort of make sense. He was from the Athena cabin so it's no wonder that he wanted to rescue Annabeth. But then he gave us a reason no one would have guessed would come out of Malcolm. He was Annabeth's helper so to speak, in the Athena cabin, and no one expected for him to give us what he did.

"Annabeth is our responsibility and ours alone." And he stared at Connor Stoll.

"She's one of us and we need to get her back, and no one else can do that for us." But then Connor stood up again and spoke. And he looked kind of angry with Malcolm as he did it.

"She's the camps responsibility Malcolm, not just Athena's, we all have a right to try and save Annabeth." And he returned Malcolm's stare. And Malcolm looked so surprised that Connor had stood up to him, on his face you would think Connor slapped him in the face. But he regained his composer before responding.

"She would want us to go save her, she was from our cabin, and I'm sure she wouldn't want a trader's cabin in place of her own…" Malcolm said and it sent stings though the Herms cabin. They even had to hold Connor down, just to make sure he didn't tackle Malcolm right there, but he wasn't done.

"That maybe true but we still have the right! She even stuck up for us when no one else would after the war… It's the very least we can do to return the favor!" he yelled coldly.

"Enough…" I finally said. Everyone's gaze was back on me.

"Annabeth wouldn't want us at one another's throats… She'd want us to work as a team." And they both sat down, still staring daggers at each other.

"We have to work together to save Annabeth…And Nico." This sent an upset though the crowd, almost turning everyone into a fully fledged rioter. I got really angry, why was no one listening to me I thought, and thunder rolled across the sky with a vengeance. That got everyone's attention back on me.

"I don't know the specifics on why Nico did what he did, but I do know this…" And I had to think for a second to make sure this came out right.

"Nico…he's hurt and were the only ones that can help him, as well as Annabeth…We have no right to judge him on his actions if we don't even know what he did them for." It was hard to say after what he did to Annabeth and me but I felt he'd had the right to have a chance. I let that sit with the audience and they seemed to mull it over.

"True but he is the one who toke Annabeth, so he does have some explaining to do if and when we catch him." Malcolm said. And the campers nodded in agreement.

"I don't doubt that Malcolm, but let's not leave Nico to the wolves just yet, agreed?" I said. And he seemed to think for a long time before he responded.

"Agreed..." He said, a little forced, I believe. But I was filled with relief none the less. At least he was sort of on my side, even if it was for the wrong reasons.

"Good…then everyone get back to your cabins; we have to prepare for the quest." I said. But Malcolm had one last question.

"One more thing…why should you lead the quest, if you don't mind me asking…who put you in charge?" The questioned seemed to hang in the air like a bad smell, and I looked him right in the eye.

"Isn't it obvious Malcolm…Nico did when he toke Annabeth from us… and from me…" And with that everyone filtered out of the Amphitheater and back to their respective cabins.

Connor PoV

As I went back with the Herms campers to our cabin they all gave me a slap on the back or thanks for volunteering for Annabeth, and standing up to Malcolm. They said it was about time Herms was back in the spotlight. But as I was gathering my things from my sleeping bag from our cabin, my brother Travis walked over.

"You shouldn't have done that." He said to me.

"Why?" I asked not meeting his gaze, but I knew he was watching me as I packed.

"You know why, what if you don't come back…I'll be all alone again." He whispered to me and I understood. We've never told anyone this but when we were 10 we were separated from each other because of our mortal parents' divorce after our mom re-married. It was the hardest time of our lives; we just couldn't manage without each other. Finally I just ran away from home, got Travis, and we started our life on the road. Then we found a new home. Camp Half-blood.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine you have nothing to worry about, as if I wouldn't come back here…we have too much fun…" I say with a smile and hug my younger brother.

"Ya…ya your right, just hurry up, you hear, we have some serious pranking to do when you get back." He said back to me. I picked up my belongings which weren't much. Just a pair of worn out rubber shoes, a picture of us on our 8th birthday, and a little knife, no longer than a fist.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I say. And with that I walked out the door and headed for the Big house.

Malcolm PoV

How could Thaila do that to me I thought to myself. The Athena cabin agreed with me, they told me so when we got back to our cabin. And Connor Stoll, him coming on the quest made me want to hurl. Just a thief and a hunter getting in my way of saving Annabeth I thought. I gathered the essentials I thought would give us an edge on finding her.

A compass, maps of the world, food and drinks, and other things I could find on my way out. I had no one say goodbye to me, other than my cabin mates, who wished me good luck. But I wasn't listening. I was already devising my strategy to save Annabeth. I didn't care what Thaila had said. Nico was going to pay for what he did. And I was going to make sure the punishment was carried out. At whatever the cost… and I headed straight for the Big house.

Thaila PoV

It was all I could do not to cry. I was grabbing what little possessions I had left in the Zeus cabin, but I don't know why. After all I'm on the road with the hunters most of the time. When I came across something that made my heart skip a few beats. It was our picture. Percy, Annabeth, and me, standing in the background of the lake near camp Half-Blood. We all had a copy and it looked so wonderful. We were having such a great time then. It's strange to see it now and be in such a problematic time. It just felt off, like that time was never really there to begin with.

I slipped it into my bag before I started to really cry along with my shield, _Aegis_, and my sleeping bag. I took one last look around my cabin and went over to the statue of my father Zeus. It always looked so scary, the way he looked down at you from here. But now all I could do was kneel and ask my dad for help on my quest to save Annabeth. I got no response, but then again I didn't really expect one. My dad and I have had a few…Disagreements… over the past few years and since then we haven't talked much.

And as I was walking out the front door I toke one last look at the statue, towering over everything as if to say "Obey me or taste lightning." I said to the statue "Well at least we have one thing in common, we don't let people get in our way."

Thankfully it didn't respond. I ran towards the big house, thinking that no one would get in my way of saving my friend, Annabeth. No one.

Connor PoV

We all got to the Big house around the same time at about 11:00 PM. We all walked through the doors and found Chiron, Mr.D, and Rachel playing Pinochle. I was sort of confused to see Rachel, our oracle, here and Chiron could clearly see it. But then I remembered, a quest can't start without a prophecy. I felt so embarrassed that I swear I turned a new shade of red. Chiron saw that I got it and went back to his game, but then he said.

"Rachel if you don't mind please." And he indicated us at the door.

"Oh yes, sorry Chiron." I don't think she even noticed us come in. She set down her cards and walked over to us. And I was a bit skeptical about if this girl could give us a prophecy.

She looked about 16 and she was as skinny as a twig, like she had trouble just standing up. She also had that rich girl look to her, how she walked, how she dressed, so I made a mental note to go though her cave when I got back with Travis.

But suddenly her eyes turned green and when she opened her mouth a bunch of green smoke came out to. Her voice sounded like a bunch of snakes trying to speak English at once, if that were possible. And I decided I didn't want to go anywhere near a place this girl stayed for the night. Then she spoke.

_**The Savoir of Olympus stands alone**_

_**His hate burns as he moans and groans **_

I started to back up but Thaila put her arm behind me so I had nowhere to go. I didn't doubt Rachel anymore. Green smoke coming out of her mouth was enough to convince me.

_**Following his footsteps across the shadows**_

_**They pray for him approaching the gallows **_

I was really getting scared now, but then I remembered this was for Annabeth. I swallowed and held my ground. But I was happy to see Malcolm looked even worse than I did, which made it a bit easier to continue listening.

_**A hero's love now rules the hour**_

_**As he searches the endless towers**_

Thaila looked petrified, as Rachel said those last lines. Maybe they meant something to her. I'd have to ask later. We all stand together awaiting the final lines.

_**They as the Sea attempts to tame the skies**_

_**A hero's heart breaks as its true love dies.**_

(End of chapter 4)__


	6. Percy's Return

Chapter 5: Percy's return

Percy PoV

I woke up a bit groggy and watch Grover sob over and over again, next to my bed. His eyes were puffy and red, probably from crying for a really long time. I don't think he even noticed I was awake though his loud crying. I didn't know what was making him so sad, so I tried to console him.

"Grover, its ok, what's wrong?" I asked him and his eyes lit up. And he stared at me, his eyes alight with joy. He stood up from the bed and grabbed my hands shaking them up and down, just ecstatic to see me.

"Perrrcccy!" He bleated, he sounded so happy that I was alive, I guess. His tears almost melted away.

"I'm so glad your awake!" He yelled at me. I was afraid he'd wake up the whole camp.

"Ya I'm fine now, I think I just need to sleep it off, but what's going on, why were you crying." I asked. And he returned his gaze to the floor. He even sat back down and started to tear up again.

"Percy…something terrible happened while you were out…" He started to say. I was getting kind of worried. But he continued.

"It's…its Annabeth Percy…" He barely scraped out. And I just stared at him in shock for a while. Annabeth, was all I thought.

"Grover…What happened?" I was really scared now, what happened to Annabeth? What could be so bad that he'd sat here crying by my bed for who knows how long, just to tell me?

"Nico…Nico toke her from us Percy, Nico toke Annabeth and now their organizing a quest, their already leaving…" He gasped and went into another fit of crying. My heart sank. It toke me a while to really understand what he was saying. Nico had taken Annabeth. They already had a quest set up without me. They were about to leave without me. I was furious.

"What do you mean, why are they leaving without me!" I asked him and he just looked at me, trying to stop sobbing, and said.

"Thaila told me to tell you when you woke up, she's leading the quest and told me to make sure you didn't do anything stupid." He said, and got out a small laugh.

"Grover you have to let me go…I have to find Annabeth…" I said shaking with anger, fear, replaced by rage. Thaila had put Grover here just to make sure I didn't go off and be a hero, huh, well that was a mistake. I tried to get up but Grover held me down.

"I can't Percy, she told me to make sure you didn't go." He said, starting to cry again.

"But why Grover, why doesn't she want me to go." I said trying to understand Thaila and her motives. I was just so angry with her. With Nico. I could have created a giant wave out of a kiddy pool.

"It may not make sense right now Percy, but even I think you shouldn't go." He said and looked at me again; like this was the last time he'd ever see me. Almost like he was making a memory of us right here just to think back on. Just because of what happened to Annabeth I thought. This only made me even angrier.

"I'm sorry Grover…" And he looked confused, as I reached into my pocket.

"Sorry about wha-"He didn't get to finish. I had already pulled out my pen/sword Riptide and slammed the butt of the blade into his chest. I may have pushed it a little, him slamming into the wall and wheezing, gasping for breath and all.

"I'm sorry Grover…"Is all I repeated. And I jumped out of the cabin; a second I later found out was the Apollo cabin, from where I jumped out at. It was right next to the dining hall. I ran for the arena looking for the only thing that I thought could catch Nico. Mrs. O'Leary.

I found her sitting, like always, in the middle of the arena where we train with all of our weapons. She was nibbling on a practice dummy, halve heartedly. I guess the news had gotten her about Annabeth too.

"Comon girl, were going to find Annabeth." I screamed and she immediately lit up at the sound of her name. She bounded over to me and tackled me right there. I gave her a few second then I got up and said.

"Take me to Nico De Angelo…" I said, shaking with anger again. She barked in response, but she understood. It was really close, halve to camp was waking up from that slam with Grover in the Apollo cabin. But by the time they got to the arena, we had just shadow traveled away. I was determined to save my friend. And I was determined to get my hands on Nico, whatever the circumstances were. He had no right to take her from me. And I was going to let him know it.

Malcolm PoV

"So…all we have to do… is follow Percy…" I said acknowledging the elephant in the room. Everyone fell silent. We were all sitting at the Pinochle table now with Chiron, Mr.D, and Rachel. Connor just looked at me smugly. I guess he had noticed me looking a bit freighted by the prophecy after all. I shivered with embarrassment, the thought of him seeing me like that, gods only knows how long he'll hold that over my head.

"We'll, it doesn't have to be Percy, and there have been lots of savers of Olympus." Thaila says to me.

"Yes there have, but how many have you seen up and about after the titan war." I replied. She just turned bright red, embarrassed.

Everyone seemed to choke this down for a long time before I spoke again.

"And that bit about the Sea taming the skies, come on Thaila, open your eyes, there's only one person that could be about, and you know it." I say.

"And he is a son of Poseidon, it just makes sense it would be Percy." Rachel says.

"Still, he's sleeping off a black out in the Apollo cabin, it's not like he's going anywhere soon." Connor replied.

Thaila looked at him, as if giving him thanks, as if I meant to hurt her feelings, I was just giving her the facts I thought. And why turn to him, I mean jeez. This is going to be a long quest I thought to myself.

Suddenly Chris Rodriguez almost knocks down the Big house door. Great another Herms camper I have to deal with I thought to myself. But then I noticed he was in pajamas, what was going on?

"Chiron, Percy just grabbed Mrs. O'Leary and toke off, we found Grover in the Apollo cabin, almost unconscious!" He yells.

Then he ran to wherever he was going, away from the Big house.

We all stare wide eyed at each other, digesting this new information.

"We'll there you have it…" I say.

"Now all we have to do is follow Percy." Says Connor.

"Ok ok, but how do we do it…" Thaila says finally accepting the news.

"If Percy took Mrs. O'Leary away, then we can't follow him without shadow travel, Mrs. O'Leary was the only one at camp, other than Nico, who could do it in the first place." Connor says.

"Wow, Connor come up with that one yourself, or did someone help you." I say laughing, and he just glared at me, making me laugh even harder.

"Stop it you two, we have to focus…" Thaila says but other than that she seems lost for words. After all Percy running away, alone, must be as new to her, as it was to us. And after all she knew him more than either of us ever could. We both listened to her, not wanting to get on her bad side.

"Technically…" Mr.D says, looking at Connor. "You can."

"How?" He asked.

"We'll every kind of travel leaves some sort of trail, no matter how you try and hide it, the smallest leap from one place to another can be tracked some way or somehow." Chiron begins.

"Sort of like footprints, Hunters use those to track everything, even the tiniest bug can be tracked with a footprint, no matter how small." Thaila says.

"Exactly so." Mr.D says back.

"But how would shadow travel leave a trail, there's nothing to left to track." Says Connor.

"Not true…" Mr.D said.

"Shadow travel is a form of teleportation, just like any other form of travel, and can be tracked just as easily." Chiron continued.

"As you travel though space, it leaves a sort of cosmic doorway after you travel." Mr.D finished.

"But why?" I ask.

"Simple, when you travel at such high speed across a plain, it literally tears a hole in space from where you started from, to where you end up, as well as the space in between." Mr.D responded.

"But we don't have anything that can track the doorway do we Chiron?" I ask him. He just looks at Mr.D for an answer. Apparently he knew something we didn't. We all sat closer to the table to hear an explanation.

"Alright, alright…" Mr.D says standing up.

"I could track his whereabouts with my powers, I am a god after all, but who says we even want to?" He says looking bored, and rolling his eyes. But Thaila just stared at him looking shocked.

"We have to, to save Annabeth!" Thaila says, starting to look angry. I could tell, and so could anyone. All they'd have to do is hear the thunder rolling across the sky outside.

"Blah blah blah, alright, calm down before I turn you into a dolphin, little hunter." He says back. And she turned bright red in again. Mr.D got up and motioned for us to follow. We all followed Mr.D to the arena were Mrs. O'Leary usually is. He sniffs the air and says, with distaste in his voice.

"Yes, that blasted demigod has been here." He says, starting to get agitated.

"We'll, then, if you don't mind." Says Connor matter-o-factly. And I have to admit I agreed with him now. We didn't have all night, and Annabeth's time was running out.

Mr.D just sighs and holds up his hands like someone would to take a picture if they could, using their hands that is. But then he started making a motion with his hands, tearing them apart from each other, and a portal suddenly opens with a giant crack in the air. It was very dark looking, and was already starting to close, Mr.D's hands shaking.

"Well what are you waiting for?!" He yells. We all snap out of our surprise. I notice the whole camps here, around the arena, looking at us. They all wish us fare well and we step though the portal.

(End of chapter 5)


	7. Percy crashes a Yacht Party

Chapter 6: Percy crashes a yacht party

Thaila PoV

We pour out of the portal, sprawled onto some kind of strange luxury carpeting. I see a man standing in front of us with a martini glass in his hand. His mouth opened, and a cigar fell out of it, followed by him dropping his martini, spilling its contents onto the expensive looking rug. He runs away, screaming that kids popped out of his martini glass. Then Connor suddenly says.

"Ha ha, butterfingers." With a laugh. And I return it, even Malcolm grinned for a fraction of a second. And we looked at him amazed.

"What, it was a funny joke." He said, and we laughed again before finally getting up.

We were in the middle of the open ocean. Traveling along a giant, wide, expense of white hills that looked as big as sky scrapers. They looked like they'd been chiseled out of marble or something and rested along land near the ocean.

"The White cliffs of Dover…" Malcolm awed.

"Let me guess, were in Dover?" asked Connor, rolling his eyes at Malcolm, and I swear I heard him mutter. 'Athenians and their architecture.'

"It's not architecture…" Malcolm began, startling Connor.

"It's a wide expense of hills; traveling all the way from England to Germany…It stretches over 300 miles in length." He finished.

"Wait so were in Germany?" I asked him.

"Could be, or England, or anywhere in-between." He responded, still marveling at the cliffs.

"But why would Percy come here?" I asked them.

"Beats me, but I do know that I'm going to try and to beat the slots if you know what I mean…" Connor said racing off to the small casino on the rear end of the boat.

"Connor! Wait! Oh never mind." I said quickly and turned to Malcolm still absorbed in the cliffs.

"Malcolm…earth to Malcolm." I say to him, waving my hands in his face to get his attention.

"Yeah, yeah… ill get him in a second." He replied. Completely useless, the both of them, I thought.

So I went off to cover the ship. Nothing seemed out of place, everyone looked normal, sounded normal, and the lay of the boat looked simply amazing. It was roughly 40 yards wide, with everything you could imagine on it. Pools, casinos, bars, even parking lots with cars in them! I couldn't imagine why though.

I kept thinking to myself, why would Percy come here? I mean sure the sea, the boat and everything, but other than that I didn't see why Percy would show up on a yacht with a bunch of rich people, in Germany/England/wherever.

There was an announcement on the loud speakers for every guest to report to the dining room for a special treat, so I went back to pick up Connor and Malcolm but they weren't were they were earlier. They must already be there I told myself, and I rush off to check.

Sure enough there they are, sitting at a table near a stage at the back of the dining room. Connor had on a bib with a fork and a knife crossing each other and Malcolm was just staring at him, probably taking in the fact that he'd have to work with the guy.

"They say were having a feast, for a feast you need a bib, its simple feast physics." Connor said to Malcolm, smiling.

"So how did the slots go?" He asked, and Connor just groaned.

"I swear they rigged those things against me…" He said, and Malcolm laughed. I guess he was listening after all, and hearing him laugh, was even weirder.

"Well I wouldn't want to break up this lovely conversation, it's not like we're here to do anything." I said rolling my eyes at Connor and taking a seat next to him and Malcolm.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls…" A voice boomed, coming from somewhere behind the curtains on stage.

"We have a special treat that all our passengers, on the Carnivorous Cruise will love and enjoy!" it continued. Wait did he just say the Carnivorous Cruise, I thought to myself.

"We present the peace day resistance…" I could tell it was a he now and the curtain was drawing back for the spectacle.

"Your meal for the evening!" And there he was an about 6'0in high, portly man, gesturing, to a boy with an apple in his mouth, without a shirt, covered in barbeque sauce. Percy.

Percy PoV

I had just gotten off Mrs. O'Leary. I noticed we were on a fancy boat, but she didn't seem to care and she just jumped right off and ran for the desert bar. Then out of nowhere I spot Nico sipping from a glass filled with green liquid, with a pair of black sunglasses on. He was sitting in a lawn chair next to a pool of rich looking people, just relaxing in the moonlight.

"Hey Nico…" I say, splashing him with water from the pool, dowsing him, but he just took off his sunglasses with a smile. I waited for him to explain his actions, to explain why he toke Annabeth and tell me where she was but he just continued smiling. And I held Riptide to his throat. Then he stood up and spoke.

"Hello Percy, it's about time…it toke you nearly two hours to find me…how slow can one demigod be, chasing after his so called friend?" He laughed.

"Not really my fault actually…" I shrugged.

"Oh yes, I heard that bit about Thaila…Can't even seem to keep one friend under control Jackson, let alone Annabeth…" He still smiled and laughed, as if this were just playful banter. As if he'd done nothing wrong. This infuriated me.

"Enough small talk, Nico, where is she…?" I asked trying to keep my cool. That last bit about Thaila had really got me steamed. He remained silent.

"Tell me right now." Jamming Riptide ever closer to his pale little throat, as I said it. Then he finally spoke.

"Why right here Percy." He says, snapping his fingers and suddenly a mass of shadow's appeared to come out of a wall next to him. I lowered Riptide and felt a jolt of happiness. Annabeth was in there.

"If you want her come and take her." He said now his smile fading. I inched closer to her, but before I had taken three solid steps two large men grabbed me and flung me on ground.

"Tisk tisk Percy." Nico said and put his hand over his face, the smile back.

"You have be more careful, if you ever want to save Annabeth, after all if only two mortals can stop you, how do you plan to stop me once you finally get your hands on me." He said and he turned away.

"Let her go Nico, she's done nothing to deserve this…" I managed to squeeze out; those guys holding me down were really heavy I thought, and I couldn't get to Riptide, which had clattered to the floor, out of my reach. He turned back around, fire in his eyes.

"Nothing Percy! Nothing! She's as guilty for killing Bianca as you are, and you're going to pay for it just as much as she is!" And he pointed to the mass of shadows. His finger was shaking, but not from anger he seemed…off…like he just wasn't himself, but then again he had kidnapped Annabeth. And that wasn't very Nico at all anyway.

"I'm done playing the hero for your little camp Percy, it was a mistake then and it's a mistake now…" He says calming himself.

"She would have never died if you, your little girlfriend, and that huntress, hadn't shown up at Westover Hall that night Percy…" He said, tears in his eyes. I could see it all in his eyes. The little boy from Westover Hall that long time ago, he wasn't this boy anymore than I was. He was just an empty, tired, shell of the boy who had once play Myth-o-magic…

"Come face me when you finally have the strength to put up a fight…" He said, turning around again, but before he left he said one last thing. He didn't even turn around to look at me; he just picked up Riptide and said.

"They say, Percy, that one's personality is reflected in the owner's weapon…What do you think of my personality when you look at mine?" he asked. I didn't get to answer. He threw Riptide over the side of the boat and that's when he shadow traveled away. The group of shadows by the wall had disappeared with him.

That's when the guards knocked me out.

Connor PoV

We were just staring at Percy, tied to a chair, with an apple in his mouth, smothered in Barbeque sauce. We were awestruck, so surprised that no one even spoke a word. Then cheers went through the crowd of passengers and everyone seated themselves again. We had no choice but to do the same.

"What do they mean "Meal for the evening"?" I could barely say above the shock, in a whisper.

"It's called the Carnivorous Cruise, what did you expect?" says Malcolm.

"They…they want to eat him?" Thaila said stunned.

"Yes, not very surprising either, there are quite a few cannibals left in this part of the world." Malcolm said.

"What?" Thaila asks.

"But most of them don't celebrate it; it's mostly used for sacrificing at rituals and such." He said.

"But this is a feast, there having Percy as the main course!"I said trying to control myself, but failing miserably.

"Shut up Stoll!" He said wide eyed, and shoving a hand over my mouth. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, and when he saw no one was, he let me go.

"Trying to get us on the menu?" He asked me, even quieter now.

"We have to get Percy out of here!" Thaila said.

"Agreed, but how do we do it, we can't exactly pull off a stealth operation in a dining hall full of cannibals now can we." Malcolm said. And he had a good point. Then, who I can only assume is the host, said we should file down for appetizers before the main dish was served, leaving us alone at our table.

"Don't worry I have a plan." I said, with my signature mischievous smile, and leaned in closer to tell them my idea. This was going to be fun I thought.

Malcolm PoV

"Crazy… it'll never work…" I finally said. It was so ridicules, so stupid, it could never in a million years work I thought to myself.

"It is really a stretch…" Said Thaila, just looking at Conner, still thinking it over.

"It will work, I just know it will, plus I don't think we really have any other options do we." Says Connor looking at both of us.

"I'm for it, if it's our last chance to save Percy, before they break out the knifes." Thaila says, starting to go a little green, and covering her mouth.

"Thaila, you can't be serious…" I start.

"Were running out of time." Connor points out.

"All right, all right…" I give in.

"Let's do it…" I finish.

"Then let's get a move on." He said. Thaila and Connor went to their positions next to the slots, while I went to mine, behind the curtain. I only had a short time to get ready, from what Connor said I'd only have a few moments to accomplish what I needed.

"Ok, ok lets settle down passengers, the main course is about to be served!" The portly man yelled.

Suddenly theirs a commotion at the slots, everyone's turning their heads to see what's going on. But no one could see, only hear the words that made even more people crowd around it.

"We won, we won, we won the Jackpot!" Yelled Thaila and Connor and everyone was starting to get up, just to see them jumping up and down over the stupid machine. While everyone was distracted by Thaila and Connor I knew I would need more time. People were already starting to get back in their seats, and I hadn't had five seconds. I needed more time I thought. Then I saw the control board.

I jumped to the control board next to the pulley system that held the curtains aloft. I threw them into disarray and before anyone knew what was going on, the curtains had already fallen down on top of the host and I had hussled Percy out of their throwing him into the pool outside.

He bobbed his head up almost the second he touched the water, looking a bit confused about why he had an apple in his mouth, and before I could explain he went ballistic. He started to go crazy; throwing the water everywhere, just as Thaila and Connor were coming to see what was going on. They just stared at me and I explained.

"Well…if you know a way to wake up a son of Poseidon better, be my guest next time." And they yelled for Percy to calm down. He stopped thrashing in the water and the water calmed down as well.

"Wow, Seaweed brain you look like a roasted pig." Thaila laughed covering her mouth, and so did we. He spit out the apple.

"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on?" he asked.

"No time, Percy just listen, we need you to rock the boat." Thaila said.

"What are you talking about?" Percy was really confused now.

"Just do it, I'll explain my genius to you later, just rock the boat and try to get us as close to the cliffs as you can!" Connor yelled.

"Fine just calm down will ya." Percy said, but we were running out of time, the passengers were already starting to run at us and we needed to get away right now. I had to knock one out before he could get a chomp into my leg.

"Any time now would be great!" I exclaimed.

"It's here!" He yelled and I understood about one second too late. I turned behind me and instead of rocking the boat; Percy had created a tidal wave the size of the cliffs themselves. It swallowed the ship and swept us out to sea.

(End of chapter 6)


	8. 2nd AN

2nd A/N

Posting next chapters when I get 5 reviews to inspire me lol.

Not too much to ask just comment on if, if you like it, if you don't, or if there's anything you would like to see!

Sincerely for now,

-PercyJacksonAustyle!


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